Hong Kong University of Science and Technology set up a new semiconductor product analysis center, the first of its kind in Hong Kong, in a bid to sharpen the competitive edge of the local semiconductor industry.

The center is equipped with over 15 million HK dollars (about US$ 2 million) worth of cutting-edge failure analysis and testing equipment, Otto Lin, the university's vice-president for research and development, said when attending the opening ceremony of the center Wednesday.

The establishment of the center will enable small and medium semiconductor companies to analyze their products locally and shorten production time significantly, while lowering manufacturing costs, resulting in the development of high value-added semiconductor products, Lin said.

( December 13, 2001)